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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24085060">Your Blood’s Gone Bad (I Knew It Would)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemisslol/pseuds/littlemisslol'>littlemisslol</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Basically a what-if-cass-used-the-minetrap-early, Blood, Major character death - Freeform, Varian gets shishkebabed by his own father, guess who wrote a fic, read the tags, yeah y'all remember those comics dr-chalk made</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:48:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,790</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24085060</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemisslol/pseuds/littlemisslol</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the absolutely AWESOME/SAD comics by the illustrious Dr-Chalk on tumblr. </p>
<p>Cassandra uses the mind-trap early. It doesn't end well.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider &amp; Varian, Quirin &amp; Varian (Disney), Rapunzel &amp; Varian (Disney)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>249</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Your Blood’s Gone Bad (I Knew It Would)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Comics can be found <a href="https://dr-chalk.tumblr.com/post/190605834909/an-inability-to-fight-back">Here</a> and <a href="https://dr-chalk.tumblr.com/post/613484409225609216/just-you-wait-ill-make-it-up-to-you-if-its-the">Here</a></p>
<p>Both are also linked within the story, when they become relevant. </p>
<p>Chalk, I love you but what the FUCK dude</p>
<p>(Title from <i>Hunt You Down</i> by Hit House)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“So this… Project-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Obsidian yes-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right, yeah. It’s supposed to be able to stop Cassandra?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rapunzel looked at the schematics before her with trepidation. Varian certainly seemed confident in the potential of his invention, excited as he was to get her seal of approval on it before beginning. Her green eyes ran over the plans, a series of calculations and formulas surrounding a side profile of what looked like a bazooka. The princess wasn’t sure how she felt about Varian building such a thing, let alone carrying it around and </span>
  <em>
    <span>firing</span>
  </em>
  <span> it at Cass.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But after the anarchy at the Spire a few days ago… maybe a backup plan would be a good idea. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The pair of them stood in Varian’s basement lab in Old Corona, next to a large table that held the massive schematic. The stone was cold under Rapunzel’s bare feet, but the chill in her chest wasn’t one caused by the temperature of the lab.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Will it hurt her?” Rapunzel said, and Varian tensed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” He said firmly, “It’ll just encase her in the amber… like my...uh. Well. Like we’ve seen before. It’ll react to her armor, and hopefully it will be enough to keep her from hurting more people.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian looked away at that, and Rapunzel felt a pang. His ribs were probably still smarting from when Cassandra had launched him across the room in her tower, when he’d been kidnapped. She reached over and drew him into a side hug, holding him close as he shuddered slightly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” She said brightly, “Maybe it’ll be enough to get her to stop for long enough for us to talk to her. Just… be careful, okay?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian offered a small smile at that, and hugged her back. “Of course!” He said, “When am I not careful?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rapunzel’s face must have done something funny, because Varian burst out laughing at her expression. She gently shoved at him, ruffling his hair. Varian squawked, but took the roughhousing in good grace, batting at her hands until she gave up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Which of course was when the </span>
  <em>
    <span>screaming </span>
  </em>
  <span>started.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The pair of them flinched at the noise, their eyes widening. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The door to the lab slammed open, Eugene standing on the threshold, the man panting for breath as he slouched against the doorframe.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hector… Adira-” He panted, holding a hand to his chest as if to push his breaths into being more manageable. “They’re- guh, they’re attacking the villagers!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What</span>
  </em>
  <span>?!” Varian yelped, already sprinting towards the door. Rapunzel’s hands flung out to try and stop him, but he was too quick and her hands grabbed air. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Varian, stop!” She cried, chasing after the boy. Thankfully Eugene managed to grab him gently, stopping him from running right out the door and into the courtyard beyond. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Woah, slow your roll, goggles!” Eugene said, keeping a grip on the kid’s shoulders. “You’ve never fought these guys before, they’re the real deal. Worse than Andrew, worse than Cass, between the two of them. You’re staying here.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian had the gall to look offended. “No way!” He said, roughly pulling himself from Eugene’s grasp. “You think I’m just going to stay here while they destroy Old Corona? I have to go find my dad!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, that’s not a good idea- hey!” Eugene said in frustration as Varian slipped past him, out the door and disappearing into the fray. The man looked to Rapunzel in barely concealed frustration, shaking his head. “Kids, huh?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rapunzel couldn’t help but laugh, but another volley of screams from outside had her moving. Eugene was hot on her trail, and the two of them stepped out into the chaos that had taken over the town. Townspeople ran in every direction, all fanning out from the center of the tiny town. Many of them had small injuries, but for the most part everyone seemed to be okay as they all rushed from the main square. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A great plume of black smoke rose from the center of town, dark and billowing. Rapunzel caught sight of a familiar head of black hair running in the opposite direction of the crowd, towards the smoke, and she grabbed ahold of Eugene’s hand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There!” She shouted, giving chase. Varian was still as slippery as ever, disappearing into the panicking crowd with an ease Rapunzel envied. Rapunzel dragged her fiance behind her, the two of them gently pushing their way through the panicking people. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Varian!” Rapunzel shouted frantically, “Varian get </span>
  <em>
    <span>back here</span>
  </em>
  <span>-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian didn’t listen, rushing into the main square of Old Corona. It was essentially abandoned, not a soul to be seen. Two of the larger buildings were the source of the smoke, the buildings consumed by flame. The crackled and spat, the heat coming off them nearly unbearable. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rapunzel gripped her frying pan a little tighter, scanning around for Hector and Adira to no avail. She coughed in the smoke caused by the burning buildings, covering her mouth with her hand to block against the smoke. Her eyes fixed on Varian, who seemed not to care about the fire.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian stumbled to a stop, looking around frantically. “Dad?” He called, cupping his mouth to project his voice over the crackling fires, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Dad!?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eugene surged forwards, gently grabbing Varian and covering his mouth. “Okay, the yelling isn’t helpful,” He said as the boy glared at him. “We can find your dad </span>
  <em>
    <span>after </span>
  </em>
  <span>everyone’s safe, but we need to deal with Hector and Adira first, got it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian opened his mouth to reply, the anger clear on his face, but he was cut off by Rapunzel letting out a yelp of surprise. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Adira had found them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Adira brought her sword down, one made of simple iron now that Cassandra had taken the shadow blade. Rapunzel deflected the blow with her frying pan, the metal letting out a </span>
  <em>
    <span>clang</span>
  </em>
  <span> from the force of the blow. Adira scowled, and it was then that Rapunzel saw that the woman’s eyes were glowing an unsettling blue. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The Mind Trap</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Cass had actually used the-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Adira!” Rapunzel shouted, “It’s me, Rapunzel, you know, Sundrop? C’mon, you don’t want to hurt- ah!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Adira swung her sword again, forcing Rapunzel to cut her pleading short in order to avoid being cut in half. Eugene let out a shout, letting go of Varian in favour of helping his fiancee. The man was cut short however, by a pair of snarling bear-cats appearing, cutting him off from Rapunzel. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hector appeared through the smoke, blade drawn as well. Eugene quickly drew his knife, gesturing to Varian with his free hand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kid, run!” He yelled before launching himself at Hector, the bear-cats letting out a snarl as they moved to defend their master. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rapunzel let out a cry as Adira managed to wrench her frying pan from her hands. The princess was forced to take her hair into her hands as a weapon, flinging it forwards to wrap around Adira’s wrist. With a cry Rapunzel used the leverage to make Adira drop her sword.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The white haired woman merely grabbed ahold of the hair around her wrist. Adira wrapped it once, twice, three times around her gauntlets. The white haired woman used her new grip to pull Rapunzel forwards, yanking the princess forwards and driving a boot harshly into the blonde’s gut. Rapunzel let out a cry of pain as she was knocked to the ground.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Adira dropped the hair with a smirk, already bending down to pick up her sword where it had dropped. Rapunzel scrambled for purchase on the ground, only just managing to fling her hair out and under Adira’s feet, tripping her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eugene let out a snarl of his own as Hector descended upon him. Eugene managed to fling Hector to the side, staring up in a panting mess as a third figure approached them through the billowing smoke of the burning village.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh shi-” Is all Eugene got out before Hector’s bear-cats tackled him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian looked in horror at the approaching figure, reaching into his pocket and pulling out one of his chemical solutions. It was a beaker, he’d just shoved it in his pocket when Rapunzel had shown up asking about Project Obsidian. Varian looked up to the massive shadow drawing closer to him, the boy’s heart sinking when he realized who exactly it was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span></span>
</p>
<p><a href="https://dr-chalk.tumblr.com/post/190605834909/an-inability-to-fight-back">Quirin of Old Corona stalked through the smoke of the burning village, eyes bright blue and face in an unrecognizable sneer</a>. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“D-dad?” Varian asked in fear, backing up slightly as Quirin drew closer. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rapunzel turned from where she had blocked yet another of Adira’s swings, holding her hair between her hands and blocking the sword from driving into her chest. She gasped when she saw Quirin and Varian staring at each other, her green eyes wild with fear for her friend.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Varian!” She yelled, her arms shaking with exertion as Adira’s sword drew closer to her face, “I know he’s your father but you </span>
  <em>
    <span>have to </span>
  </em>
  <span>fight back!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“C’mon kid!” Eugene shouted, backing up his fiancee as he held one snarling bear-cat back with his hands, the other lunging for his legs only for Eugene to kick it away. “You gotta do it!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian was as still as a statue, staring up at the looming figure of his father with wide eyes. His gloved hands gripped the vial tightly. Quirin looked absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrifying</span>
  </em>
  <span> without his usual small smile, and Varian could feel himself begin to tremble. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” Varian trailed off, looking up at his father’s glowing eyes, his mind flashing back to a year ago, to </span>
  <em>
    <span>pain</span>
  </em>
  <span> and suffering and the crack of </span>
  <em>
    <span>amber in between frantic screaming and- </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t…” The boy said, feeling </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> small. Varian’s father had always towered over the boy, Varian having taken after his mother, Ulla. But to have that height used to intimidate him…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>miniscule</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Like a bug to be squashed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Dad…” Varian tried, reaching a hesitant hand towards his father. Quirin didn’t respond, the sword in his hand lifting up to point at Varian. The boy stepped back in shock, staring at his father in horror. “Daddy?” He whispered, even as Quirin stepped forwards aggressively and raised his sword high.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian let out a yelp as he was tackled to the side by Eugene, the man only just getting them out of the way as Quirin brought his sword down. Eugene and Varian rolled a few times before finally collapsing in the dirt, Eugene flat on his back and Varian on his stomach. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eugene barely gave Varian time to orient himself, shoving at Varian and yelling at him to </span>
  <em>
    <span>run, kid, we’ve got this</span>
  </em>
  <span>, before jumping back into the fray. Eugene managed to get a good hit on Hector, knocking the feral man aside with a well timed punch.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian scrambled to his feet, noticing the shattered beaker at his feet with dismay. He stepped back, intending to follow Eugene’s orders, but stopped as Quirin turned towards a new target. Vairan’s eyes locked to where Quirin was headed, and his heart </span>
  <em>
    <span>stopped</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rapunzel let out a fierce cry as she threw Adria using her hair, the white haired woman going flying into a pile or barrels and not getting back up. The princess let out a huff of breath, panting with exertion as she slowly gathered her hair back up. As her back faced the main square, she didn’t notice Quirin’s looming figure behind her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian was sprinting before he knew what was happening, his eyes only for the unguarded back of his friend. Quirin brought his sword back in a clunky motion, intending to stab the unaware princess through the spine. Varian sprinted past the lumbering form of his father, shoving Rapunzel out of the way with a frantic cry and turning to face Quirin. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <a href="https://dr-chalk.tumblr.com/post/613484409225609216/just-you-wait-ill-make-it-up-to-you-if-its-the">And then pain.</a>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Varian let out a shriek as white hot </span>
  <em>
    <span>agony</span>
  </em>
  <span> spread from his stomach, the boy looking down in terror at the sword that had embedded itself into his gut. He raised his shaking hands up, idly touching the blade where it disappeared into his torso. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Blood, hot and red, spilled from the wound, staining Varian’s shirt a crimson that he knew would </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> wash out. Varian idly heard Rapunzel screaming, but his only focus was the throbbing agony and pressure radiating from his stomach. Varian looked up into the slack face of his father, gasping out a breath as the blue light in Quirin’s eyes began to flicker. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Was he…?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Dad?” Varian managed to cough out, his gloved hands wrapping around the blade. Quirin’s eyes slammed closed, but Varian kept looking for any sign of the man he loved in the face of his murderer. Quirin gave a whole body shudder, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>boy</span>
  </em>
  <span> did that do something interesting with the sword embedded in Varian’s gut, but the cocktail of adrenaline and shock in Varian’s system was more than enough for the boy to ignore it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quirin’s eyes began to open, back to their warm brown. They were barely visible past the man’s fluttering eyelids, but Varian let out a sigh of relief at the sight of them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh!” Varian found himself saying as his father opened his eyes in a daze, the man not seeming to understand where exactly he was. Quirin looked down at him without recognition, as if his brain hadn’t quite caught up with what was happening. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you okay, now?” Varian asked. His knees began to wobble, the blood dripping down onto the ground now as Varian struggled to remain standing. Quirin blinked once, twice, three times, still not seeming to understand what exactly was happening. “Good, good.” Varian continued, as his father began to snap into awareness, the man looking down in shock at where his sword had ripped through his son like nothing but paper.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Welcome back.” Varian gasped out. Quirin stared at his son in horror, the picture finally coming into sharp, </span>
  <em>
    <span>horrible</span>
  </em>
  <span> detail. The man shook, the icy feeling of dread creeping up his spine as the last of the Mind Trap’s control vanished between the cracks of his mind. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Varian-” Quirin gasped, letting go of the sword as if it had burned him. This was the wrong choice, as it seemed that the only thing keeping Varian upright had been Quirin’s grip. The boy collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, dropping to the ground with the unhappy </span>
  <em>
    <span>thump</span>
  </em>
  <span> of his lax body hitting the dirt. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quirin let out an animalistic noise of pain, hands flailing in shock as his son fell like a stone to the ground, the boy unconscious… or worse. The man stood in dismay, his body locking up as he looked down at Varian, flat on his back with the sword still embedded within him, a pool of ruby blood sinking into the ground beneath the boy’s frail body.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Varian</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Quirin breathed out again, going to drop to his knees, only to be stopped.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Get away from him</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Rapunzel shouted, brutally shoving Quirin away with all her might, “Don’t you </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare touch him</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” The woman’s voice was high with hysterics, the princess losing her composure as she dropped to the ground on her knees next to the child before her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quirin backed off without question, letting the icy claws of horror surround his heart as he stared down at his blood covered hands. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Varian’s blood</span>
  </em>
  <span>, his traitorous mind whispered, </span>
  <em>
    <span>your own child</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Flower, g-gleam and gl-ow</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Rapunzel stuttered through sobs, clutching at Varian’s limp hands with her own, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>L-let your power s-shine</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Make the clo-ck reverse,</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A numbness fell over Quirin as her hair remained the same blonde it always had been, the healing incantation not working.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Bring back w-what once was-” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rapunzel’s stuttering stopped, unable to contend with the well of tears as she bent over Varian’s body. Eugene was next to her, holding her tightly as she sobbed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quirin let out a feral noise, like an animal in pain. Neither Rapunzel or Eugene looked at him as he dropped to his knees nearby, burying his face into his bloodstained hands. With an enraged snarl, at the world, at Cassandra, at </span>
  <em>
    <span>himself</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Quirin let the tears flow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He brought his bare hands to the ground, digging them into the earth. His tattoo, the allegiance to the Brotherhood, stared back at him, damning and </span>
  <em>
    <span>evil</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The red of Varian’s blood stood out against his pale skin, the ruby colour something that Quirin was sure he would never truly wash away. He stared at his hands until he couldn’t take it anymore, the fingers clenching tighter and tighter until Quirin could feel his own nails digging into his palms, the pain grounding him as the true gravity of what he’d done finally seemed to land. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quirin tilted his face up to the sky and began to </span>
  <em>
    <span>scream</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
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